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Taking a seemingly opposite approach to brand storytelling, a new online retailer is trying to slash the "brand tax" that consumers pay on products by offering the most basic of household and food items—all simply labeled—for $3. Each of Brandless's product categories offer just a single SKU—often organic or non-GMO. Shoppers can also become members for $36 a year to save on shipping costs. Cofounders Tina Sharkey and Ido Leffler are both experienced entrepreneurs—Sharkey cofounded the online media company iVillage and Leffler is cofounder of skin care company Yes To—and Brandless has raised more than $50 million in venture capital for its approach. Read more at Forbes...

During its first Amazon Prime Day, Simply Gum saw its first deal for 20 percent off six packs of gum sell out in six hours. "Prime Day has really proven to be one of the most important days of the year for our business, not only in terms of sales lift, but also in terms of generating brand awareness and exposure," says founder Caron Proschan. Read more at CNBC...

A group of residents in Viroqua, Wisconsin, turned an old corporate facility into a food enterprise center buzzing with 14 local business tenants dishing up everything from fermented snacks to local produce. And it's hardly the only city that has turned to food to help revitalize it. Read more at Ozy...

Its commitment to using "real" ingredients hasn't left Chipotle with much of an opportunity to serve queso, that bright orange cheese-like stuff that goes with nachos. But could it have finally cracked the code on "real" queso? The item appeared on the menu at Chipotle's first public test kitchen, and it's apparently made of cheese, corn starch, tapioca starch, salsa, jalapenos and sofrito. Read more at Fortune...

Dried fruit and snack company Made in Nature is expanding its production and distribution in Walmart stores across the country. It's also adding a new product: Organic Nut Butter Filled Figgy Pops. Read more at BizWest...